Air-distributer fop pneumatic milking-machines.



E, A. NILSSON. AIR DISTRIBUTER FOR PNEUMATIC MILKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1910.

992,238, Patented May 16, 19-11.

2 SHEETS-SEEBT 1.

WI TNESSES )1 TTURNEYS E. A. N-ILSSON.

AIR DISTRIBUTER FOR PNEUMATIC MILKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1910.

992,238. Patented May 16, 1911.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1,7 I /00 Il l '20 1 1 4/ 70 h Ii 1 ii W/rA/EssE-s.- MIL-Wm w M v Wham?UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERIK ARVID NILSSON, OF HORNSBERG, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGN'OR TO MJOLK-NINGSMASKIN AK'IIEBOLAGET, OF HORNSBERG, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed August 5, 1910. Serial No. 575,660.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERIK ARVID NILssoN, a subject of the King of Sweden,and residing at Hornsberg, Stockholm, Sweden, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Air-Distributers for Pneumatic Milking-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an airdistributing device for milkingmachines, said device having for its object the distribution of the airunder pressure to the different organs for pressing out the milk actingupon the teats.

The milking organs may be either pistons movable in cylinders andconnected with plates or the like acting upon the teats, or flexibletubes or the like, which are expanded by the air pressure and therebypress upon the teats.

The air distributing devices hitherto known and applied to milkingmachines generally comprise an air receiver divided into two or morecompartments communicating with each other by means of very narrowpassages, allowing only a slow equalization of the pressure in thedifferent compartments, and further communicating with the milkingorgans. In constructions of this kind the inconvenience easily occursthat the narrow passages are stopped up by dust and oil particlesentering with the air, the consequence being that the action of themilking organs is stopped or at least that the strokes of said organsare effected in another time than calculated on. According to thepresent invention this inconvenience is avoided by providing in thenarrow openings or passages connecting the difierent compartments of theairdistributer, clearing -needles or the like, which are actuated by thepressure of the air, as it passes in either or in both directionscausing the needles to enter the said narrow passages and clean samefrom dust or the like.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, of which Figure 1illustrates an air-distributer provided with the device forming thesubject of the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 22of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a modification.

The milking organs 1 and 2 are only schematically indicated on thedrawing and it is supposed that the same consist of flexible tubesacting upon the teat, said tubes communicating through short pipes 3 and4 with the two compartments 6 and 7 respectively of the air-distributer.These two compartments are formed by the outer cylinder 5 and the innercylinder 12, the latter being inserted into the outer cylinder. Thesecompartments are connected with each other by the narrow passage 8 inthe top of the 1101- low plunger 9. A cleaning-needle 11 connected witha threaded plug 10 inserted in the top of the distributer, projects intothe hollow plunger and is so regulated that the axis ofthe samecoincides with the central axis of the plunger, the length of the needlebeing furthermore so adapted that when the plunger rises to itsuppermost position, touching the screw-plug, the lower end of the needlewill penetrate through the narrow top passage 8 of the plunger and cleanthe same.

The lower part of the plunger is provided wit-h recesses in its outerwall, flanges 14 thus being formed between said recesses, said flangesacting as guides for the movement of the plunger. The length of saidrecesses is so adapted that when the plunger occupies its uppermostposition communication is established through the said recesses betweenthe two compartments 6 and 7. i

The plunger is at the top provided with a horizontal flange 15 by whichits movement in the downward direction is limited.

The above described device acts as follows: The air under pressureentering through the supply pipe 13 fills up the compartment 6 andenters the flexible tube 1 through the pipe 3, thereby dilating theformer. Owing to the narrowness of the passage 8 between the twocompartments the pressure is only successively and relatively slowlytransmitted to the inner compartment 7 and the flexible tube 2. The tube1, which acts upon the root of the teat, is thus first dilated andconsequently the teat first compressed at this place. Then the lowertube 2 is successively dilated and the lower part of the teat squeezed,whereby the .milk contained in the teat is pressed out. As soon as thepressure in the supply pipe 13 ceases, for instance by being put incommunication with the atmosphere, the pressure in the outer compartment(3 suddenly descends to the atmospheric pressure, whereas the pressurein the inner cylinder is only successively and more slowly equalized.Owing to the diiierence in pressure in the compartments the plunger 9rises and presses against the screw-plug beneath the cover 10, wherebythe needle 11, as before described, enters the narrow passage 8. At thesame time, however, air from the inner cylinder flows into the outercylinder through the recesses formed in the outer wall of the plunger,and as soon as the difference of pressure in the two compartments isequalized, the plunger falls down and occupies the position shown on thedrawing.

It is obvious that the invention is not specifically limited to anabsolutely immovable needle and an absolutely movable plunger so long asthe relative movability of the needle and passage 8 is maintained. Forexample, in Fig. 8 is shown a construction in which, in lieu of makingthe needle immovable and the passage movable with the plunger, thereverse arrangement is shown. In this modification 10 and 20 representthe milking organs; 30 and 40 the pipes connecting with the twocompartments 60 and formed by the outer cylinder 50 and inner cylinder120 of the distributer; 90 the plunger; 100 the threaded plug at the topof the distributer; 110 the clearing needie; and 130 the supply pipe.These parts correspond to the parts shown in Fig. 1 and hereinbeforedescribed. In this construction, however, the plunger carries theneedle, and the passage between the outer and inner compartments isformed in a screw-plug 18 inserted in the top of the inner cylinder. Thedownward movement of the plunger is limited by the ring 17 and itsupward movement,by the screw-plug 18. The inner cylinder 120 is providedwith one or more openings 19, which are shut by the plunger when thesame occupies its lowermost position but open when the plunger israised, whereby communication is established between chambers 60 and 70.16 is a narrow passage in the plunger. The air under pressure, enteringthrough supply 130, fills the chamber 60 and enters the milking organ 10through pipe 80, and is further successively transmitted to chamber 70and milking organ 20 through pipe 40. As soon as the pressure in supply180 ceases, the plunger 160 rises and presses against the screw-plug 18,whereby the needle enters the narrow passage 80. At the same time theopenings 19 are laid bare and the air passes from chamber 70 to chamber60. As soon as the pressure becomes equal in both chambers the plungerfalls down to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the same operation isrepeated.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. In an air distributing device for milk ing machinesincluding milking organs adapted respectively to compress the teat atthe root and to squeeze the remaining part of the teat, the combinationwith outer and inner air receivers connected with each other and adaptedfor connection with said organs respectively, the outer receiver, beingalso adapted to be connected with a source of compressed air, of aplunger, in the inner receiver, having a narrow passage establishingcommunication between the two receivers, and a clearing needle in linewith said passage and adapted, in the movement of said plungerrelatively to the needle, to alternately enter, and withdraw from, saidpassage.

2. In an air distributing device for milking machines including milkingorgans adapted respectively to compress the teat at the root and tosqueeze the remaining part of the teat, the combination with outer andinner air receivers connected with each other and adapted for connectionwith said organs respectively, the outer receiver being also adapted tobe connected with a source of compressed air, of a plunger, movable inthe inner receiver, having a narrow passage in its lowermost end, and acleaning needle in said plunger adapted to enter said narrow passagewhen the plunger occupies its uppermost position, substantially asdescribed,

8. In an air distributing device for milking machines including milkingorgans adapted respectively to compress the teat at the root and tosqueeze the remaining'part of the teat, the combination with outer andinner air receivers connected with each other and adapted for connectionwith said organs respectively, the outer receiver being also adapted tobe connected with a source of compressed air, of a plunger, movable inthe inner receiver, having a narrow passage in its lowermost end, ascrew plug located above and in line with the narrow passage of theplunger, and a clearing needle secured in the center of said screw plug.

4. In an air distributing device for milking machines including milkingorgans adapted respectively to compress the teat at the root and tosqueeze the remaining part of the teat, the combination with outer andin ner air receivers connected with each other and adapted forconnection with said organs respectively, the outer receiver being alsoadapted to be connected with a source of compressed air, of a plunger,movable in the inner receiver, and longitudinal guiding flanges on theplunger between which are formed passages through which the air suppliedto the inner receiver passes into the outer receiver when the plungeroccupies its uppermost position.

5. In an air distributing device for milking machines including milkingorgans adapted respectively to compress the teat at the root and tosqueeze the remaining part of the teat, the combination with outer andinner air receivers connected with each other and adapted for connectionwith said organs respectively, the outer receiver being also adapted tobe connected with a source of compressed air, of a plunger, movable inthe inner receiver, having one end constantly open to the outer receiverand the other end provided with a relatively narrow passage opening intothe inner receiver and through which air supplied to the other receiverflows to the inner receiver, and a clearing needle extending into theplunger and in line with said narrow passage, there being passages inthe side wall of the plunger adapted, when the plunger moves intoposition to cause the needle to enter said narrow passage, to connectthe receivers to permit air to flow from the inner receiver to the outerreceiver.

6. In an air distributing device for milking machines including milkingorgans adapted respectively to compress the teat at the root and tosqueeze the remaining part of the teat, the combination with outer andinner an receivers connected with each other and adapted for connectlonwith said organs respectively, the outer receiver being also adapted tobe connected with a source of compresed air, of a hollow plunger,movable in the inner receiver, opening into the outer receiver, therebeing passages adapted, in the reciprocation of the plunger, torespectively and alternately establish communication between theinterior of the plunger and the inner receiver and directly between thetwo receivers.

7. In an air distributing device for milking machines including milkingorgans adapted respectively to compress the teat at the root and tosqueeze the remaining part of the teat, the combination with outer andinner air receivers connected with each other and adapted for connectionwith said organs respectively, the outer receiver being also adapted tobe connected with a source of compressed air, of a plunger in the innerreceiver, there being a narrow passage establishing communicationbetween the two receivers, and a clearing needle in line with saidpassage and adapted, in the movement of said plunger, to alternatelyenter, and withdraw from, said passage.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERIK ARVII) NILSSON.

Witnesses INGEBORG HENRIKSsON, PORSTEN MELINDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

